Ran into a problem a few days ago. I have twin 454 Mercruiser inboards. When I turned the key on the port engine to start nothing happened. Engine didn't turn over, no noise, no click, nothing. I turned the key two or three times and then the engine started fine on the second or third try. This scenario happened several times over three days. Sometimes the engine started on the first try, sometimes it took two or three tries. The SB engine starts strong each time. Any suggestions to troubleshooting this?
Engine start problem
- Thread starter PatSea
- Start date
Bad battery connections doesn't sound logical for this problem. It could be a bad slave solenoid or connection. It doesn't require much juice to activate the electro-magnet in the solenoid and since no click, no juice getting to the solenoid. Could be ignition switch but what happens is bad connection behind the dash can prevent start. BUT, NEED to know if the dash instruments work or not when the starter doesn't work.
IF the dash instruments work only when the engine starts, locate the bad connection. May be a bad instrument connection. You can locate a bad connection by turning ignition switch to 'RUN' and jiggle wires behind the dash and listen for gauges to click on. This is not an unheard of problem.
IF the dash instruments work only when the engine starts, locate the bad connection. May be a bad instrument connection. You can locate a bad connection by turning ignition switch to 'RUN' and jiggle wires behind the dash and listen for gauges to click on. This is not an unheard of problem.
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
- RO Number
- 2612
- Messages
- 852
Same problem few years ago, loose ground connection.
Can you hear if the Slave Cylinder on the MerC is clicking? This is that little one, inside the box with the red breaker button on the front. Actually, they often DO click, but then don't close the contacts to power the big solenoid mounted to the starter.
I know you said you don't hear a click, but if you're in a saloon or up on a flybridge you might not. They are not very loud.
I know you said you don't hear a click, but if you're in a saloon or up on a flybridge you might not. They are not very loud.
Checked it out on Thursday. The ground connection on one of the batteries came loose. The lug is deformed to the point where it is difficult to tighten the lug properly. I will be replacing it soon. But in the meantime I removed all the connections to the two batteries, sanded then with crocus cloth, applied electrical cleaner, and tightened them real tight. It seems to have solved the problem. I think the one ground lug came loose several weeks ago when I moved the batteries to check the water level in the batteries.